A Nearly Perfect Spring Day

Winters in Vermont suck. They have totally worn me out. The long winter here is soul-abrading and I don't think I am the only one. Burlington is suddenly alive again with hordes of people that came out of nowhere. The waterfront is packed, often with annoying people. But so what? It was a good day to be alive yesterday, and a great day to be outside.

As a result from a confluence of factors, I did not get in the ride I was planning. Given how beautiful it was outside, this was inconsequential. A book, a bike, a latte... the only thing missing was this person:


Good food tastes better with good company.

I was out of coffee at home so I decided to stop for an iced latte while I was out. Starbucks gets a bad rap, but I like them. A vente non-fat latte from Starbucks always hits the spot for me. Yes, the roast is a bit deep, but still palatable. Moreover, the atmosphere at Starbucks is almost always pleasant. Only when the place is packed to the rafters is when things get a little too noisy. And the staff always seem happy to be at work. I don't ever recall encountering a miserable Starbucks employee. The company must be doing something right.

I would prefer to buy local, but take these local folks for example: Speeder and Earl's. Almost invariably, the staff are snotty, surly, and act as if they are doing me a favor by even bothering to take my order. The atmosphere is pleasant at the main store, but the experience of dealing with their staff leaves me with such a bad taste in my mouth that I end up being pissed off about being in their store.

And another thing: it should not take four minutes to make my latte. The "baristas" (I use that term loosely for the S&E staff) are amazingly slow. I am not in any huge rush, but there is taking time to make a quality product and then there is just being glacial. I used to own an espresso stand, so I know. If you're going over 75 seconds per standard hot drink, something is wrong.

Until next time, enjoy your bike, enjoy your coffee, and enjoy your friends.